


Zoey's Extraordinary Weekend

by Shananigans402



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Las Vegas Wedding, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23857840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shananigans402/pseuds/Shananigans402
Summary: What if Simon had asked Zoey to come with him to Las Vegas for his mom's wedding? With these two involved, we could certainly expect some romance, humor, emotional moments, medieval entertainment...and a surprising twist neither of them were expecting after a late night of drinking. Takes place after 1x10.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke/Simon Haynes
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Zoey arrived at the office the next morning, feeling a little less angry after witnessing the sweet and romantic moment between her parents last night, even if she was the only one who had seen their dance. She could tell the rage she’d been struggling with was still simmering not far below the surface, which was unsettling, but she at least felt a bit better about it after Simon had reassured her that it was a natural part of grief. 

She took a deep breath as she got in the elevator, trying to keep the wave of guilt from consuming her as she thought back to how she had treated Simon two days earlier. Fortunately, he had forgiven her for her erratic behavior, but she still felt bad as she thought about how she had yelled at him. She also felt guilty for practically attacking him in a different way the second he got in the door - as much as she wished they had been able to connect on a more physical level that night, it was probably moving a bit too fast, and the last thing she wanted to do was push Simon away now that she finally had him.

At least it was Thursday, only two more days and then she’d have the whole weekend to wallow in her guilt - at least until Mo realized what she was doing and dragged her out of her apartment to do something to take her mind off her emotions.

The elevators opened to reveal the fourth floor, which was already buzzing with its usual activity. Zoey couldn’t help but glance over at Simon’s office, a simple action that had become a part of her daily routine ever since he had started at SPRQ Point. He wasn’t in yet, which caused her to feel slightly disappointed as she always enjoyed catching a glimpse of him before starting her day.

She approached her desk and decided to dive right into the day’s work. Joan had been even harder on everyone than usual ever since the bake off had been announced. Zoey knew The Chirp was important to Joan, and to Leif too, but she cared less about him. She was determined to help her team win this competition, if only just to prove that they didn’t need Max. Although she missed having her best friend working beside her every day, she had to admit she was still angry with him and couldn’t help but feel like he was being needlessly petty simply because she didn’t return his romantic feelings.

Zoey put her headphones on to try and zone out from her thoughts as she focused on her work. An indeterminable amount of time later, her focus was pulled by someone in her periphery, she glanced over to see Simon standing by her desk.

“Hey,” she said as she spun in her chair to face him. She felt a little bit excited because she could tell she was getting better at this whole ‘playing it cool’ thing. “How are you feeling?”

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Simon replied with a warm smile.

“Much better than Tuesday,” Zoey admitted, “I’m sorry again for what happened that night and I just want to say thank you for being so cool about everything and for just being there for me. It means a lot.”

“You don’t have to apologize or thank me,” Simon insisted, “I’m just glad I was able to be share some of the things I’ve learned over the past few months so you didn’t feel so alone in your grief.”

“Me too,” Zoey said softly, realizing that as bad as she felt for what she had put Simon through, it would have been way worse if she’d continued keeping that anger bottled up. 

Simon gave her a small smile before switching topics, “So there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Yeah, of course, what’s up?” Zoey asked, giving him a little nod to continue as her mind began trying to work out what he wanted to talk about. She really hoped he wasn’t about to say that he changed his mind about wanting her to be patient with him, because she wasn’t sure what her reaction would be if he decided he didn’t even want to try to make their budding relationship work.

“I called my mom yesterday to let her know I decided to go to the wedding, she’s really happy and I know I have you to thank for pointing out that I was unfairly directing my anger at her. Anyway, I started to make travel plans for this weekend and I was wondering, well, more like hoping, that you might be willing to join me?” Simon finished by fixing the redhead with a hopeful expression.

Zoey was stunned by the request, especially after their conversation the other night. “Wow, I mean…that sounds great, but…don’t you think that’s kinda the opposite of what we talked about Tuesday night?”

Simon bobbed his head as he considered the question, “I suppose, but this doesn’t have to be a trip we take as a couple. Yes, I know I’m asking you to go with me to my mom’s wedding, but it can be platonic, no expectations for romance or date-like activities. Though maybe we could fit in a platonic trip to one of those medieval things you seem so found of.”

Zoey grinned at the reference to their conversation, “I do love turkey legs and jousting,” she agreed, “Are you sure this wouldn’t complicate anything for you?”

“Honestly, I think it would help me a lot,” Simon explained, “This is going to be a tough weekend to get through and you have the ability to read my moods better than I do sometimes. And you always have a way of making me feel better even when I’m really down, and I could definitely use that this weekend. I think it could actually be pretty fun if you’re there too…but I don’t want you to feel pressured if you think this is too much too soon.”

“No, no,” Zoey said as she shook her head quickly so he wouldn’t misinterpret her hesitation, “I would really like to go with you. I think it sounds really nice actually. The only thing is…” she trailed off as she thought about her family, she wasn’t sure if this was the time to take an impromptu weekend trip.

“Your dad,” Simon said, correctly interpreting her hesitation about leaving, “Look, I totally get it. Now’s not a great time and you need to be here.”

Zoey was amazed by how well Simon could read her, she was a little bit jealous that he didn’t even need to hear heart songs to do it, but the jealousy faded quickly. She considered the offer for a moment, before making her decision, “No, it’s okay, after everything this week, I could use some time to distract myself before I let the rage take over and I hurt more people. Besides, if there’s an emergency, it’s only a 90 minute plane ride away, I can get back here in a matter of hours.”

Simon gave a contemplative nod, “Okay, but only if you’re sure. I don’t want you to feel like you have to go, I understand if you want to stay here.”

“Thank you for being so considerate,” Zoey said with a genuine smile, “But I don’t feel like I have to do anything - I want to go with you this weekend. I think it’ll be good for both of us.”

Seemingly reassured by her response, Simon let his excitement take over and grinned, “Great, I’ll go book the flight and hotel rooms.”

“Rooms?” Zoey questioned before remembering that they were taking this trip as friends, “Oh, right, platonic…so that makes sense.”

Simon paused, “Well, I just figured it might be better if we both had our own space since we haven’t, uh, shared a bed before and I wanted to make sure you know there are no expectations for this trip.”

“No, yeah, totally,” Zoey agreed with a nod, even though she was a little disappointed. 

“Do you want me to get one room?” Simon asked hesitantly.

Zoey thought back to their conversation the other night. She knew they both needed to take some space right now to sort through their own situations and they had agreed to take some space. Sharing a bed, even if it was completely platonic, might be asking for trouble right now. “Two rooms sounds good,” Zoey agreed, “But maybe we can see if they have those rooms that are connected by a door in case we want to say hey or something.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Simon promised with a smile, “I was thinking we could fly out tomorrow after work and then we can fly back on Monday, if that works for you?”

She began to nod but then paused, “Wait, Monday?”

“Yeah, the wedding is on Saturday, but since it’s just a small group of family and friends going, I think they have some activities planned for the weekend and this group brunch planned on Monday before everyone leaves and they go on their honeymoon.”

“Oh, cool,” Zoey said with a nod as she thought about the bake off and how difficult it would be to ask for time off right now.

“If you don’t want to stay that long, we can always head back earlier,” Simon suggested.

Zoey shook her head, not wanting to take away from his time with his mom during her special weekend. “No, you are definitely going for the full trip,” she insisted, “And I’m going to see what I can do to get Joan to give me the day off.”

“Okay, but if it’s too much trouble, don’t worry about it, we can come back on Sunday,” he offered.

Zoey nodded and gave him a smile as she watched him head back to his office. She took a moment to take a few deep breaths to prepare herself before standing from her desk and making her way to her boss’s office.

“Hi Joan,” Zoey said timidly as she stepped inside the office, “Do you have a minute?”

“No, but you’re here anyway, so what do you want?” Joan asked as she continued typing on her tablet without looking up.

Zoey stood up straighter as she tried to summon all the courage she could muster, “I know that everyone’s really busy with the bake off and I know I just took yesterday off to be with my family…but I was wondering if there was any way that I could take Monday off?”

Joan stopped typing and glanced up over her glasses at Zoey, “Are you serious? This is an incredibly important time for our team and you want to take more time off?”

“Yes?” Zoey replied, the answer sounding like a question due to her nerves. “I’ll be back by Tuesday, but I just have this thing for…a friend, and it’s really important and I’d like to be there for them.”

Joan continued to look at her for a moment before shaking her head, “You know what? Fine, take Monday off. You’ve been weirdly hostile around here the past few days. Just promise me you’ll get whatever that is sorted out while you’re gone so you can get back to work and actually be useful by Tuesday.”

“Yes, of course, I can totally do that,” Zoey promised, surprised that she’d actually gotten permission to take the day off. She hurried out of Joan’s office and headed across the lobby to Simon’s. “She said yes,” she announced with an eager grin.

“That’s great!” Simon enthused, “I really appreciate you coming with me for this.”

“Are you kidding me? I should be thanking you, I really need a good distraction right now and Vegas seems perfect.”

“I’m glad to hear it, I’ll finish making the travel plans and let you know once everything’s confirmed.”

“Cool, just let me know what I owe you for the fight and hotel room and I can Venmo you or something,” Zoey replied as she tried to lean against the door frame before realizing her position looked anything but casual and she straightened her posture.

Simon smiled as he watched her, “Don’t worry about it, you’re doing me a huge favor by going to this with me. It’s my treat.”

“Are you sure?” Zoey asked as her brow furrowed, “I can totally cover my share of the cost, it’s no big deal.”

Simon shook his head, “I insist, you’re getting dragged last minute to a Vegas wedding for people you’ve never met, it’s the least I can do.”

Zoey felt a fluttering in her stomach and tried to remind herself that this weekend was a platonic trip, even if Simon was being incredibly generous and sweet by paying for her. “Okay, well thanks…but don’t forget you also promised me the medieval show, so don’t think this lets you off the hook.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished she could take them back. She’d meant it as a joke, but realized she could just as easily come across as ungrateful and wanting this trip to be all about Simon treating her to things.  
Fortunately, her comment caused Simon to chuckle as he gave a small nod, “Don’t worry, we’ll definitely go and get you your giant turkey leg. I wouldn’t deprive you of that.”

“Don’t forget about the jousting, it’s an equally important part of the experience,” she added before turning and heading back to her desk. 

As much as she wanted to spend the rest of the day panning for the trip and figuring out if there was anything she needed to buy for the wedding, she knew the team needed her to be focused. After finding a good podcast to which she could zone out, she lost herself in her work, pushing all thoughts of the weekend to the back of her mind. 

She ended up working later than usual as she lost track of time while trying to fix an error she’d found in the bit of code she’d been writing. By the time she finally fixed it, it was after 7 and most of the building had cleared out. 

Zoey stood up to stretch and began gathering her things. On her way to the elevator, she checked her phone and saw that Simon had emailed her the information for the flight and hotel. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she thought about the upcoming weekend. 

The elevator doors opened and Zoey began to move forwards, locking her phone and slipping it into her bag before she glanced up. Her smile faltered when she saw Max standing in the elevator with a neutral expression that seemed forced. She thought back to their last exchange and let out a soft sigh as she got in the elevator. 

“Look, Max,” she started before pausing as she tried to figure out where to begin.

“It’s fine, we don’t have to talk just because we ran into each other. I think we said everything we needed to the other day.”

Zoey knew she probably deserved his slightly hostile tone, but it still hurt, “I’m sorry for what I said on Tuesday,” she apologized, wanting to ease the tension between them. “I’ve been dealing with a lot recently…my dad’s not doing so good. I’m not trying to make excuses because I know what I said crossed a line, but if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been yelling at pretty much everyone over the past few days. It’s been pointed out to me that the anger I’ve been feeling and taking out on others is part of my grief. I know that doesn’t make it okay, but hopefully it might make you hate me a little less? Because I really didn’t mean what I said. You deserve that promotion, Max, you’re an awesome programmer.”

As the elevator doors opened, Zoey’s gaze was fixed on her friend as he continued to stare straight ahead. She hoped he would say something, anything, to help ease her guilt over their blowup the previous day. He stepped out of the elevator and for a moment she thought he was just going to leave, but he paused and turned back to face her as she walked off the elevator.

“I’m really sorry to hear about your dad, Zo. And I’m sorry for what I said too; you’re not selfish, you’re going through a lot right now and I know that.”

Zoey gave a small nod, grateful that he had said something, but still feeling like there was a lot of distance between them that hadn’t been there before, and she wasn’t referring to physical distance. 

“So…yeah, I just wanted to let you know that I’m sorry for what I said and I also wanted to apologize for not fighting harder to keep you on the fourth floor. I didn’t realize how much that upset you.”

Max shifted his weight from one foot to the other, “It’s fine,” he said with a dismissive shrug, “If I’m being honest…you might have been right, it was a little bit more personal than just wanting to be kept around because I’m good at my job.”

Zoey nodded as she focused her attention on the floor, not wanting to meet Max’s gaze. Now that she had entered into this quasi-relationship thing with Simon, she was even more sure that she couldn’t return Max’s affections and she didn’t want this awkward attempt at an apology to turn into a heart song or another discussion of his feelings for her. 

“Oh okay,” she replied, not sure how else to respond to his statement without opening things up for another difficult conversation. “I shouldn’t have called you out like I did though, I’ve been trying to deal with this anger thing so hopefully that won’t happen again. So you don’t have to, like, avoid me or anything if you see me.”

“That’s good to hear, I didn’t like the angry version of you. That’s just not the Zoey I know,” Max replied, “But I get that there’s a lot going on with you right now because of your dad. I know things have been kinda weird between us, but I was wondering if it would be okay if I stopped by this weekend to see him?”

“Oh, this weekend? Um, I don’t know if that would be a good idea,” Zoey replied, feeling bad about having to turn down Max’s offer.

“Why not?” Max asked with a confused frown, “I don’t have to stay long, I just want to stop by and say hey. I haven’t seen him since the night of the fall and I just want to check in to see how he’s doing.”

“I appreciate that, I really do, and if you really want to stop by this weekend, you can. It’s just that I’m going out of town so it might be better if you wait until next weekend and we can go over to see him together.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were going out of town,” Max said with a look of surprise.

“Yeah, last minute trip,” Zoey explained, hoping he didn’t ask for any more information. She knew that mentioning anything about Simon would quickly change the tone of this interaction and she was enjoying having a civil conversation with Max after so much hostility and tension.

“Okay,” Max replied, his expression making it clear he wanted to ask more about this spur of the moment trip. Fortunately, he seemed to decide against it, “Well, I hope you enjoy your trip. Maybe I can stop by to see your dad some time after you get back.”

“Yes, definitely,” Zoey agreed with a nod, relieved he hadn’t asked anything else, “I’m sure he would love that.”

“Okay, well if I don’t see you tomorrow, have a good weekend,” Max said as he began to head towards the exit. 

“You too,” Zoey replied, giving a half wave as she waited a moment for Max to get a bit ahead of her so they didn’t do the uncomfortable move where two people say goodbye and keep walking in the same direction. Normally, she and Max would always head out together, sometimes grabbing dinner or heading to one of their apartments for a movie night, but with how strained their relationship had been, it seemed those days were over, at least for now. 

Zoey sighed as she finally headed out of the building. By the time she got to her apartment, she was in considerably better spirits as she thought about how in less than 24 hours she would be on a plane to Las Vegas with Simon.


	2. Chapter 2

“Okay, so you have my spare key in case you need it,” Zoey said as she continued checking around her apartment for anything she might have overlooked.  


“Yes, but as I told you when you gave it to me, I already have a master key to all the units. It’s one of the perks of being the building manager,” Mo explained as he watched Zoey wander around her apartment. “I still don’t know why you even want me to have a key. You know I’m not going to water your plants or feed your fish while you’re gone. It’s three days, Zoey, they’ll be fine.”

“I don’t have a fish, and please don’t water my plants because I already did that this morning and I don’t want them to be overwatered,” she said as she finally stopped her nervous, aimless wandering in her entryway, “It’s just in case there’s some sort of emergency and you need to get in. You probably won’t, but I just like to plan and be prepared. I don’t go out of town all that often, so I tend to get a little anxious before I do.”

“Clearly,” Mo agreed as he looked Zoey up and down, “Girl, you are going to be fine. It’s just a long weekend, not a month-long trip. You’ll be back before you know it. Although with the kind of stressful energy you’ve been bringing into my apartment lately, I really think you could use a long vacation.”

“It’s just that Simon and I are still in this weird, nebulous relationship limbo and I want this trip to go really well, even if we are going just as friends,” Zoey explained.

“I’m sure it will, after what you put him through the other night, if that boy is still sticking around, then I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

Zoey felt the usual stab of guilt she’d come to expect when she thought about that night, but she realized Mo had a point. If that hadn’t been enough to drive Simon away and he was still inviting her to come to his mother’s wedding with him, then she really shouldn’t be so worried. 

“You’re right, I just need to try and relax and enjoy this weekend as much as possible. I feel like whenever I overthink things, they always go wrong, but if I just let things happen, then it should be okay, right?”

“Sure, whatever you need to hear to stop worrying and start heading towards the airport,” Mo encouraged as he waved Zoey towards her bags. “Just enjoy yourself and have fun. It’s Vegas, after all, if you can’t have fun there, then you’re just not trying hard enough.”

“Thanks Mo, I appreciate the pep talk,” Zoey said as she finished gathering her things and headed for the door. “Can you lock up behind me?”

“Now I see why you wanted me to have the key. Unbelievable,” Mo muttered as he shook his head and followed Zoey out of the apartment.

* * *

“Do you want the window seat or aisle?” Simon asked as he led the pair to their row of seats.

Zoey quickly weighed the pros and cons of each option, “Window,” she decided, “I’ve never been to Las Vegas and I think it would be kinda cool to see it as we’re flying in.”

Simon stepped forward to let her enter the row first while he put their luggage in the overhead bin. 

“You’ve never been to Vegas?” Simon asked as he settled into the seat next to her.

“Nope, I’m not really big on gambling, shopping, or partying so it hasn’t been at the top of my list for vacation spots,” Zoey explained, “But I’m super excited to go this weekend,” she added, hoping it didn’t seem like she wasn’t grateful for the chance to join Simon on the trip.

“I hear you,” he agreed, “It doesn’t top the list of my dream vacation spots either. I’m just surprised you haven’t been for any work events since so many tech conferences are held there every year.”

“Well, up until recently I wasn’t important enough in the company to be invited to those conferences,” Zoey explained, “But hopefully I’ll get to go to some this year. And now, thanks to you, I’ll be super familiar with Vegas and know all the best places to go.”

“Wow, a lot of pressure to be the ultimate tour guide for a three day trip,” Simon joked. 

Zoey smiled as she leaned forward to tuck her purse under the seat in front of her. Even though she had brought several items to keep herself entertained on the flight, she was hoping she wouldn’t have to use any of them and could just spend the full 90 minute flight talking with Simon and getting to know him better. “So, what’s on this list of top vacations spots, then?” 

“Ooh good question,” Simon said as he shifted to face Zoey as best he could in the cramped airplane seats, “I guess it depends what type of vacation I want to take. If I just need to chill and get away from everything for a while, then maybe Hawaii or a resort in Mexico, or even a Caribbean island. If I want to go somewhere with a lot of history and spend my time sightseeing and taking in the culture, I’d love to go to Tokyo or Cape Town or somewhere in Italy; I’ve also heard Prague is incredible.” A small smile formed on his face as he seemed caught up in thoughts of the places he was talking about, “What about you? What places are on your list of ideal vacation spots.”

Zoey nodded along as he listed places and couldn’t help but picture exploring the cities, states, and countries he mentioned with him by her side. She pushed the thoughts away, knowing that they had agreed to take things slow to give them both time to cope with their grief.

“Honestly, the places you all mentioned sound great. I’ve heard Vancouver is beautiful, I’d love to go there someday. Based purely on pictures and not knowing anything else, I think it would be cool to go to places like Iceland or New Zealand. My parents went on a trip to Thailand a few years ago and loved it, so I’d really like to go there too someday. I’d also like to see some places in Europe, like Amsterdam and Ireland. Though the latter is purely because there are apparently a lot of redheads and I think it would be cool to blend in and escape the ginger jokes for a while.”

Simon chuckled at her last comment, “Don’t listen to the jokes, you definitely have a soul,” he teased before reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, “Seriously though, your hair is beautiful.”

Zoey couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face at the compliment and she felt her heart rate pickup from the way Simon stroked gently through her hair and kept his hair there as he held her gaze. 

He appeared to remember that they were supposed to be keeping things platonic for the trip and dropped his hand as he cleared his throat. “So, my turn to ask a question now, right?”

Zoey couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed as Simon moved his hand away, but tried to dismiss the feeling. “Sure, if you want to,” she replied, knowing that she certainly enjoyed getting to know him better.

Simon thought for a moment, “Staying on the topic of vacations, what’s the best trip you’ve ever been on?”

“Mmm, that’s a good one,” Zoey nodded appreciatively. It didn’t take her long to come up with her answer, “When I was ten, my family and I went up to Seattle and spent a week sailing around the Puget Sound. It was gorgeous and just so much fun. I have so many memories of that trip. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, my dad loves sailing so sometimes I just like thinking back to that trip and how insanely happy he was to be out on the water for a whole week.”

“That sounds like an amazing trip,” Simon said with a soft smile. “I’ve only been to Seattle once, but I was honestly surprised how beautiful it was. I can only imagine how great it would be to spend a week out on the water surrounded by those trees and that skyline.”

“Yeah, it was pretty incredible,” Zoey agreed, “And if you ever want me to return the tour guide favor sometime in Seattle, just let me know. I’ve only been a few times, but I think I could show you around.”

“I may just have to take you up on that,” Simon replied with a charming smile.

Zoey returned his smile, hoping that he did, in fact, take her up on the offer someday. “What about you? What was your favorite trip?”

“Back in 2003 my dad won tickets to the Super Bowl in this big raffle for his company. It was the Buccaneers and the Raiders, neither of which was our main team, because obviously we were a Lions household. But we were thrilled to get the chance to go to a Super Bowl, so we went to San Diego and made a long weekend of it. I got to see the city, we went to the beach, and then the highlight was obviously getting to go to the game.”

“That sounds like a really great trip for you and your dad,” Zoey commented as she reached over to rest her hand on Simon’s.

He nodded, “Yeah, it really was. And I was a teenager at the time, so I was in that phase where I was spending all my time with friends and avoiding my parents as much as possible. So that trip brought my dad and I closer again.”

Zoey gave his hand a squeeze and was surprised when Simon turned his hand to intertwine his fingers with hers. 

He seemed to pick up on her surprise as she stared at their clasped hands. “Is this not okay?” He asked as he tried to gauge her reaction, “I just know we’ll be taking off soon and that some people get nervous during take off and landing.”

Zoey tried to figure out if ‘some people’ was code for Jessica, but decided not to waste her time trying to figure that out. Simon and Jessica were over and she didn’t have to feel guilty anymore. “That’s very considerate of you, but I’m definitely not one of those people. I actually love flying; when I was little I had a phase of wanting to be a pilot and then an astronaut. I really enjoy learning about the mechanics of planes and rockets, I almost majored in aerospace engineering in college, but ultimately, my heart was in programming.”

“I did not know that about you,” Simon said with a fascinated shake of his head, “Although it does explain some of the art in your apartment and that NASA shirt you were wearing when I came over to your place a few weeks ago.”

“You remember what I was wearing?” Zoey asked, surprised that he could recall a detail like that.

Simon appeared to get a bit flustered as he nodded, “Uh, yeah. I just remember it because I thought it was pretty cool. And it looked good on you.”

“Thanks,” she replied as she grinned at the compliment. “For the record, I thought you looked good that night too. I don’t get to see you out of work clothes too often.”

“Technically, you haven’t seen me out of my work clothes yet,” he teased as he glanced at her with a smirk, “Though it wasn’t for lack of trying the other night.”

Zoey’s eyes slipped closed and she dropped her head back against the headrest with a groan, “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“No, probably not. It was a very eventful night,” Simon replied, “I have to say, as much as I wish we hadn’t fought, I think it led to a very productive conversation; the dance party turned out to be unexpectedly fun…and I didn’t hate the making out either.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t hate it,” Zoey replied drily, pointing out that he could have been a little more enthusiastic with his endorsement of it, “But you could have fooled me with how determined you were to put an end to it - in hindsight I’m very glad you did because I don’t think either of us were in a place for that, but in the moment I’ll admit it was a little bit of a blow to the ego.”

“I’m sorry for that, because that was definitely not my intention,” Simon apologized, “And while I don’t mean to get into this because I know we’re taking things slow and that this weekend is just about supporting each other as friends…I will say that your ego has absolutely nothing to worry about in that department. You are a very, very good kisser and I think whenever we decide we’re ready to add… _that_ into our relationship, well, let’s just say I think it will be very hard, if not impossible, to have as much restraint as I did that night.”

“Yeah?” Zoey asked, the unexpected ego boost causing her to sit a little straighter in her seat, “Cool, well I’m looking forward to experiencing that. Whenever you’re ready, that is. I don’t want to rush you.”

“Thank you, I really appreciate you being patient with me,” Simon said with a grateful smile as he squeezed her hand, which Zoey noticed was still clasped with hers. 

The pilot began to address the passengers over the PA system, distracting the pair from their conversation. As Zoey leaned back in her seat, her mind idly wandered to the confusing mess of signals she was already presented with - the hand holding and teasing about their make out session the other night, while still discussing the importance of taking things slow. The trip hadn’t even officially begun and Zoey had the feeling she was in for a very long and confusing weekend.


	3. Chapter 3

The flight to Las Vegas went by faster than Zoey would have liked, though she supposed it was a good thing that time seemed to fly by seeing as she and Simon had just talked the entire time, sharing stories and asking fun and goofy questions to get to know each other better. If there had been long, awkward silences or they hadn’t known what to say, then the flight would have felt unbearably long and would have made her question their budding relationship. 

After navigating their way through the airport, they caught an Uber to The Venetian. While Simon checked them in, Zoey wandered around the grand lobby, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy hotel. She could see the massive casino just off the lobby and could hear the sounds of various slot machines and excited chatter that filled the room. 

“Alright, we’re all set. We’re up on the twenty-third floor,” Simon said as he handed Zoey a key card.

“Wow, sounds like that will be quite the view,” Zoey commented as she followed him towards the elevators, “Also, can I just say this is the coolest hotel I’ve ever seen.” She made a show of glancing around at the Italian-style architecture and design. 

“Right? This place is incredible,” Simon enthused, “We’ll have to check everything out later. The Grand Canal Shoppes are designed to look like you’re walking along the streets of Venice and they have canals with gondolas.”

“Okay, that sounds amazing,” Zoey agreed, “Maybe you’re getting to check somewhere off your dream vacation list after all.” She remembered that Italy had been one of the places he mentioned wanting to visit. 

Simon grinned at that, “It’ll be a nice preview anyway, but hopefully someday we can go and experience the real thing.”

“We?” Zoey questioned as she glanced over at Simon with a cautiously optimistic smile.

He paused as he appeared to realize he had given Zoey a lot of insight as to where his head was at in terms of thinking about their future. He stalled for time by reaching over to press the elevator button for their floor before leaning back and glancing over at her, “Could be fun,” he finally replied.

Zoey smirked; she could tell that he was trying to play it safe, so she decided to ease his nerves by reassuring him that she definitely wasn’t opposed to the idea. “Could be very fun,” she agreed, “And probably pretty romantic too, I mean between the food, the wine, the art and that scenery…I can see why so many Italian cities make it onto the list of top romantic travel destinations.”

Simon seemed to relax after her comment, visibly less nervous about implying that they would be going on trips together in the future. “Yeah, I think it would be kinda hard for a trip like that not to be romantic.”

The elevator doors opened and the pair stepped out and followed the signs pointing them in the direction of their rooms. They ended up side by side in front of the two doors marked with their room numbers. 

“So, I guess this is goodnight?” Zoey asked as she glanced over at Simon.

“It is pretty late,” Simon observed, “But on the other hand, we’re in a city that many believe is better to experience at night…so we could go out and explore a bit? If you’re up for it, that is.”

Zoey couldn’t help but grin at the thought of spending more time with Simon. It was well after ten and normally she’d be curled up on the couch, watching TV and winding down for bed, but she was in a new city with a guy she was definitely developing feelings for, so she was far too amped up to consider going to sleep yet. “Yeah, I think that sounds great!”

“Alright, why don’t we take a few minutes to unpack and we’ll meet up again in about ten minutes?” 

Zoey nodded in agreement with the plan, “Sounds good.” She noticed her earlier feeling of disappointment had completely vanished as she unlocked her room and entered. She flipped on the lights and took in her surroundings, stunned by the nicely decorated room with the large king bed in the middle of it. She wandered towards the window and took in the incredible view she had of the Las Vegas strip. 

A room this nice definitely came with quite a price tag, and she was taken aback by Simon’s generosity to get her a room to herself just so she wouldn’t think he had any expectations about the trip. Truthfully, she would have preferred to be sharing a bed with no promises to keep things platonic, but she accepted the fact that he needed some time and space right now.

After tearing her gaze away from the window, she began to wander around to take in other aspects of the room; one feature suddenly caught her attention and she hurried over to it. With an eager grin, she raised her hand and knocked along to the rhythm of ‘Shave and a Haircut’. She waited until she heard the responding ‘Two Bits’ reply before she unlocked and opened the door joining their rooms.

“You got the room with the shared doors,” she exclaimed, surprised he had actually followed through with her request.

“I did. It seemed like it might have been a dealbreaker for you,” Simon teased.

“Oh definitely, I was just about to leave before I noticed it,” she joked back, “Seriously though, I love this. We can just come up with a secret code knock if we want to talk or stop by to say hey.”

“I think we already have a pretty cool code knock,” Simon replied, referencing the knock they had just done.

“Yeah, but that one’s so obvious, everyone knows it. It’s like getting a default password for a site, you’re supposed to change it to something no one will guess,” she explained, carrying on the playful banter.

“Mhmm, and are you expecting there to be a lot of situations in which someone might be in one of our rooms and trying to get into the other room by way of attempting to crack our secret knock?” Simon questioned with an amused smile.

“I mean, it’s Vegas, so who knows. I may accidentally rack up a huge amount of gambling debt and have shady people breaking into my room and they try to get to you to use you as ransom until I can pay them back.”

Simon listened to her long-winded explanation with his smile still firmly in place. He didn’t seem put off in the least by the silly hypothetical situation she was detailing, in fact, he actually appeared to be entertained and delighted by it. 

“You’re right, that’s a very serious situation and we definitely need a super secret knock to prevent that from happening,” he agreed, “How about we both put some thought into coming up with one while we finish unpacking?”

“That works,” Zoey agreed, “I’ll try out my super cool secret knock when I’m ready to head out and explore.”

Simon grinned and gave her a playful wink. Zoey closed the door before turning in the direction she’d left her suitcase. After she had a chance to put her things away and freshen up, she returned to their shared door and tested out the new 6-tap knock she’d come up with. 

A moment later, Simon opened his door, “Was that I Want You to Want Me?” 

“Oh, I did not think you would recognize that, but yeah,” Zoey said with a nod, her eyes wide in surprise, “I figured it would be easy to remember given that thing that happened in the meditation room...”

Simon smirked at the reminder of that day, “Definitely easy to remember,” he agreed, “I don’t think I could ever forget that day.”

A proud smile appeared on Zoey’s face. Although she still felt incredibly embarrassed when she thought back to the day her powers glitched, overall things turned out okay, and she was definitely pleased that Simon seemed to have good memories of it. 

“Should we head out and explore?” He asked, pulling Zoey from her musings.

“Yeah, sure,” She said as she stepped back in the room, “Come on over, I just need to grab a jacket and I’m ready to go.”

Simon followed her into the room, shutting the shared door behind him. Zoey tracked down her jean jacket and her purse before she turned back to face Simon. She was struck by the realization that they were now alone in a hotel room, with a very nice, big bed a few feet away from where Simon was patiently waiting for her. 

The urge to launch herself at him and kiss him with everything she had hit her almost as heavily as it had the other day at her apartment. However, she forced herself to take a deep breath and lead the way to the door leading to the hallway, “Alright, let’s go!”

The pair took a stroll around the floor of the casino before heading out onto the strip. The night air was a bit chilly and Zoey was glad she brought her jacket, which she pulled a little tighter around her. They walked along the lively street filled with groups of drunk partiers, couples out for a stroll, and miserable singles who looked as if they’d had a tough day at the casinos. Zoey had never experienced anything quite like it, it was if the entire city was a massive block party, the brightly lit buildings trying to draw in as many people as possible to drop a small fortune at their casinos, shops, shows, and restaurants.

As they made their way down the street, Simon pointed out famous hotels and shared stories of his past adventures and experiences in Las Vegas. Zoey was hanging on his every word, chiming in every so often to ask a question, or share similar experiences that she’d had in other cities. 

They were both laughing at a story Zoey had just shared when Simon came to a stop and nodded in the direction of where a small crowd had gathered.

“What’s going on over there?” Zoey asked as she followed Simon over to where he claimed a spot along the railing. She noticed they were in front of a large fountain that was practically the size of a small pond. 

“I couldn’t let you come all the way to Las Vegas and not see the famous Bellagio fountain show,” he explained. 

“Not seeing much of a ‘show’,” Zoey observed, “Although the fountain is cool, very big, lots of water.”

Simon chuckled, “The next show starts in a few minutes.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” she replied with a nod. As more people began to crowd around in anticipation of the next show, she and Simon ended up moving even closer together to avoid being shoved apart by curious onlookers. She could feel Simon pressed close to her, his body positioned in a way to shield her from any pushy tourists and allowing her a prime spot right at the railing. 

She felt her heart beating quickly as she allowed herself to lean ever so slightly against his chest. Simon brought the hand that wasn’t gripping the railing up to rest on her waist, keeping her close. She wondered if she turned her head and glanced up at him, if he would be looking at her and if it would lead to some sort of moment between them. 

Before she could follow through with the urge to find out, the music started up and the fountain came to life, sending streams of water shooting into the air. Zoey’s attention became transfixed on the show, an excited smile on her face as she took in the beautiful sight of the water dancing along to the music.

“Pretty cool, right?” Simon asked as he leaned closer to Zoey so she could hear him over the music and the excited crowd. 

“It’s incredible,” Zoey agreed, turning her head to look over at him. They held each other’s gaze and Zoey felt her breath hitch as she took in the look of adoration on his face as he looked at her. Simon began to lean in closer until a loud shout from a drunken spectator watching the fountain display distracted them. Zoey let out a small chuckle and Simon did the same before they returned their attention to the show as the intimate moment had passed.

After the show ended, Zoey and Simon made their way back towards their hotel, chatting about the spectacular display they had witnessed and any other topics that came to mind as they both seemed to consciously be avoiding talking about the almost kiss they had shared.

When they reached their hotel, Zoey realized she had no idea what was on the agenda for the following day. “Tomorrow’s the big day, right?”

“Yep, tomorrow,” Simon said with a nod as he took a deep breath through his nose, appearing to try and keep his discontentment at bay. 

“So, what are the plans?” 

“Oh, right,” he said as he led them towards the elevators, “We’re all meeting up for a big group breakfast at ten and then we have to be at the chapel at noon for the wedding. After that, I think there’s a little reception thing in the afternoon. I know it’s a full day of activity tomorrow, so I hope that’s okay with you.”

“Oh yeah, totally fine,” Zoey said with a nod, trying to sound more cool and collected than she felt. Truthfully, she was nervous about spending so much time around Simon’s mother and whoever else may be present for the festivities. “So who all is in town for this?”

The elevator arrived and Simon let Zoey enter first before following her in, “Well, my mom and her soon-to-be-husband, Joe, obviously. His two children, I think my mom said their names are Micah and Tamara, but I might be wrong. Tamara’s here with her husband - no idea what his name is. My Aunt Donna is here and my mom’s best friend, Lisa. I think Joe brought a few of his friends, or maybe his brothers? Have I mentioned I’ve never met this man?”

“I think you may have mentioned it once or twice,” Zoey confirmed with a smile, “It seems like a really intimate gathering of close friends and family, are you sure it’s okay if I come? I mean, I’m obviously here, but I’m happy to just generally be around as a support if you need me, I don’t want to intrude on your mom’s big day.”

“Trust me, you’re not intruding on anything,” Simon promised, “A lot of the people attending this thing tomorrow are meeting for the very first time, so there’s going to be a lot of awkward introductions and small talk. We’ll drop in, you can make the rounds and say howdy to everyone, you’ll fit right in.” The elevator arrived at their floor and Zoey led them in the direction of their rooms.

“For the record, ‘howdy’ is not my typical go-to greeting,” Zoey protested, knowing that Simon had thrown that in to tease her, “You just caught me off guard that day and that’s the first thing I thought to say.”

“I caught you off guard by passing by you in the office where we both work?” Simon questioned with a smirk. 

“Yes,” Zoey confirmed with a nod, ignoring the teasing tone to his voice because she really didn’t have a justification for being caught off-guard that day…other than the fact she’d had a massive crush on him and was too nervous to initiate an actual conversation.

They arrived at their rooms and Simon turned to face her, an amused smile still playing on his lips.

“You’re absolutely positive that your mom won’t mind having me there tomorrow?” Zoey asked, wanting to make sure she wasn’t going to start off on the wrong foot with his mom. It had been barely more than a week since Simon and Jessica had broken up and she couldn’t help but worry that she was going to be viewed as the homewrecker who split up Simon and his fiancée, even if they were just going as friends tomorrow.

“Absolutely, she’s really excited to meet you,” Simon confirmed as he leaned against the wall by Zoey’s door. 

“And what exactly does she know about me?” Zoey asked, hoping that would give her some insight into what she would have to face tomorrow.

“Well, she knows that we work for the same company and that you’re a supervisor in the programming department - which she is very impressed with, by the way. She knows that we’re friends, but I haven’t told her that things have been escalating to a little more than friendship at this point, especially since you and I agreed to take things slow. And she also knows that you’ve really been there for me lately and helping me to process my grief. Honestly, when I asked her if it was okay if I invited you to come with me, she was really excited to have a chance to finally meet you after everything I’ve told her about you.”

Zoey couldn’t help but smile as Simon explained everything his mother knew about her, and especially when he disclosed that he’d told his mom about how she’d been there for him and helping him process his grief. If it had been anyone else, Zoey might still be nervous that his interpretation of his mother’s reaction was skewed and that she was walking into a potentially hostile situation tomorrow, but she knew Simon was good at reading people and picking up on underlying feelings. So she trusted what he said and began to finally let her hesitation to participate in the wedding festivities ease.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting her too, and everyone else who will be there. It sounds like it should be a pretty fun day,” Zoey replied.

“It’ll be something, that’s for sure,” Simon commented, his lingering feelings of apprehension evident in his voice.

“Well, if it isn’t so great, or if you just need a moment to yourself, or if you want to talk at any point, I’ll be there to help you through it,” Zoey reminded him. 

Simon let out a slow exhale and nodded, “I know, and honestly that’s helping me feel a hundred times better about the whole thing. If I was here by myself, I’d probably be down in one of the hotel bars, drinking to pass the time and to cope with this whole bizarre situation.”

“We are in Vegas, so I’m sure that bar is still open if you want to go get drinks. Honestly, I’m here to go along with what you want this weekend - so if that’s lots of shots, I’m here for that. Just keep me away from the vodka, I still haven’t recovered from that night with Joan.”

“Thank you for that, but I’m actually doing pretty good right now, thanks to you. But I might take you up on the offer for drinks tomorrow night - if I make it through the day, that will definitely be reason to celebrate.”

Zoey nodded at that, “Sounds like a plan,” she agreed. 

Simon smiled at her and Zoey could feel the sexual tension between them rising again with how little physical distance was between them. The reminder that they had two possible options for a bed to continue exploring their chemistry and connection only added to the tension building between them. 

Not surprisingly, Simon was the one to come to his senses first and seemed to realize that having sex the night before an already stressful and unusual day was probably not the best idea. “Goodnight Zoey,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her cheek, just like he had the other night in her apartment.

Zoey still found the sweet gesture endearing, but just like the previous night, it left her wanting more. However, this weekend wasn’t about her and her needs. “Goodnight Simon,” she responded before fishing her room key out of her bag to let herself into her room. 

She immediately flopped onto her bed face first and let herself sulk over her sexual frustration for several long minutes before forcing herself to make her way to the bathroom to get ready for bed. 


	4. Chapter 4

Zoey took her time getting ready the next morning, wanting to make sure she looked especially good for the day’s festivities. She sorted through the dresses that had been approved by Mo and ultimately decided to go with a light pink dress that was appropriate for the event without being overly formal. After adding the shoes and accessories that Mo had specifically picked to go with that dress, she turned her attention to putting the finishing touches on her makeup. 

A few minutes later, Zoey heard the secret knock on the door and a smile crossed her face. She took a final look in the mirror before going over to open the shared door. 

“Wow, you look amazing,” Simon commented as his gaze traveled over Zoey.

“Thanks, so do you,” Zoey returned the compliment as she took in Simon’s appearance. She was used to seeing him in suits at work, but she still was in awe of how well he wore them. He had chosen to forgo tie, similar to how he dressed at work, and Zoey felt like she had chosen an appropriate level of formality to match his suit.

“Ready to head out?” Simon asked, prompting a nod from Zoey. 

They exited through her room so she could grab her purse on the way out. On the way to the restaurant, Zoey felt her nerves returning full force. Although she still believed Simon when he told her that his mom was excited to have her there, she couldn’t help but be anxious about meeting Simon’s mother and the people who would soon be part of his new family. She was by no means skilled in social situations under the best of circumstances and with the amount of pressure she felt to make a good first impression, she was certain something was going to go wrong.

As soon as they walked into the restaurant, Zoey automatically began to glance around even though she had no idea who she was looking for. She glanced over at Simon and watched him scanning his surroundings before his gaze landed on a table in the far corner and his face lit up in a grin. 

Zoey felt a smile appear on her own face as she took in the happy look on Simon’s face. He had an infectious smile that never failed to make her heart beat just a little bit faster. 

“There they are,” Simon said with a nod in the direction of the table. 

“Great,” Zoey replied as her smile became a little more forced to hide her anxiety.

Simon navigated a path through the restaurant, with Zoey following behind him. When they reached the table, a chorus of excited cheers and enthusiastic welcomes greeted then,

A middle-aged woman stood up and eagerly made her way around the table to greet them. Zoey knew instantly that it was Simon’s mother; apart from sharing certain similar features, they both had the same happy smile that lit up their faces.

“Hey Mom,” Simon greeted as he wrapped his mother in a hug.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” his mother enthused as she returned the hug before pulling back to look at him. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”

Simon’s smile faded just the slightest bit, not noticeable to most at the table, but Zoey could tell his mother’s comment probably brought up some of the reasons he was reluctant to attend or stirred up memories of his father. A moment later, he glanced over in Zoey’s direction.

“Mom, I want you to meet my friend Zoey,” he said as his smile brightened once more, “Zoey, this is my mom.”

“Hi Mrs. Haynes, it’s really nice to meet you,” Zoey said as she stepped forward. As soon as the words left her mouth, a wave of panic hit her. She wasn’t sure if Simon’s mother still went by her married name or if she had gone back to her maiden name. Perhaps she should have referred to her by her soon-to-be-husband’s last name, although she had no idea what his surname was and it felt weird to address Simon’s mom by his name before the wedding. She just hoped she hadn’t already upset the woman by using her deceased husband’s last name.

Simon’s mom grinned as she looked at the anxious redhead in front of her, not seeming upset in the slightest. She pulled Zoey into a hug, startling the nervous woman who was not expecting such a friendly welcome. “It’s nice to meet you too, Zoey. And please, call me Pamela. I’ve heard so much about you from Simon. Joe and I are so happy you could join us this weekend.”

Zoey couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Simon when his mother mentioned hearing so much about her. He let out a small, embarrassed chuckle as he glanced down and Zoey wondered just what he had told his mother about her. 

“Thank you for letting me join you all this weekend,” Zoey replied, relieved that so far she had managed to form coherent sentences that came across as polite and hopefully not too awkward.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone, both of you, actually,” Pamela said with a laugh as she glanced at her son. 

“Everyone, this is my Simon and his friend Zoey,” Pamela introduced the newcomers to the table. Zoey thought she detected a slight tone change on the word ‘friend’ as if Pamela was not entirely convinced they were quite as platonic as Simon had said. However, she knew she might simply be reading too much into it. 

Pamela went around to introduce the others - her fiancé, Joe, his children Tamara and Micah, Tamara’s husband Anthony, Joe’s two friends, Bill and Dan, Pamela’s sister, Donna, and her childhood best friend, Lisa. 

Zoey mentally rehearsed all the names as they went around the table, trying to keep track of who was who. The last thing she wanted was to make a bad impression by forgetting someone’s name. After the introductions and greetings were complete, Zoey and Simon took a seat at the table to join the others for breakfast.

For most of the meal, Zoey was able to sit back and observe the interactions between the others. She appreciated the chance to learn more about everyone simply by watching and joining in on conversations without being the focus of attention.

After the breakfast plates had been cleared, the group sat around and continued to make small talk. As Joe got to know Simon, Pamela turned her attention to Zoey.

“So, you work at SPRQ Point with Simon, right?” Pamela asked, fixing Zoey with a warm smile.

Zoey nodded, “Yeah, it’s a great company.” As she replied, she noticed that Donna and Lisa were also tuned into the conversation. She couldn’t help but feel like she was being observed and evaluated by the older women who were clearly very fond of Simon and undoubtedly wanted to protect him - especially in his vulnerable state after ending his engagement.

“Are you on Simon’s team?” Donna asked in a tone laced with suspicion, as if trying to suss out if she was attempting to sleep with her boss for benefits.

“No, I’m actually a supervisor on the programming team. Simon and I sometimes work together on projects, but his team handles all the marketing while my team develops the tech stuff.”

“Wow,” Lisa said with an expression that read as genuinely impressed, “I like seeing women in STEM positions. And a supervisor too, that’s great.”

Zoey gave a proud nod, she was still wrapping her head around being a supervisor on her team.

“Zoey’s a very talented programmer and has helped worked out a lot of the kinks on the company’s latest products,” Pamela said, “At least, that’s what Simon tells me,” she added with a chuckle.

Zoey felt her face flush as Simon’s mom bragged on her behalf and she couldn’t help but feel pleased that Simon had told his mother those things about her. Clearly he had talked about more than just her helping him process dad stuff.

“Simon’s exaggerating, I’m sure. It’s really a team effort when we work on those projects and I have a really great team,” Zoey explained, trying to seem modest so Simon’s family didn’t think she was arrogant or self-important. 

“Don’t be modest. Besides, one of the benefits of being a team leader is you get to take all the credit,” Pamela teased with a playful smile.

Zoey joined the others in laughing at the joke and felt her nerves easing ever so slightly. It was hard to feel too nervous around Pamela who had the same warm eyes and reassuring smile as Simon and who seemed to be doing her best to help Zoey fit in with the eclectic group of people.

“Zoey, honey,” Pamela said in a softer tone of voice, causing Zoey to immediately turn her attention to the older woman, “I know this weekend is going to be quite busy, so in case we don’t get a chance to talk away from the others again, I want to make sure I have a chance to thank you for all that you’ve done to help Simon. He’s told me about how much you’ve helped him open up about his father and helped him to process his grief.”

“Oh, there’s no need to thank me,” Zoey said with a dismissive wave of her hand. She wasn’t entirely comfortable accepting a thank you for what she had done to help Simon as it was her powers that allowed her to realize he needed help in the first place and her massive crush that had persuaded her to talk to him. 

“It may not seem like a big deal to you,” Pamela continued, “I’m sure you’re just as kind and patient and understanding with all of your family and friends, and they’re lucky to have someone like you. But I know Simon doesn’t open up easily to others, he would barely even talk about how he was feeling with me. So for you to get through to him enough to get him to open up means so much to me, and I’m sure to Simon as well. Thank you, Zoey.”

Zoey gave a small nod, still feeling slightly uncomfortable with the appreciation being directed towards her, but it was also nice to know how meaningful the emotional connection that had developed between her and Simon really was. “He’s been helping me too,” Zoey began before briefly pausing to consider whether she wanted to explain any further; the compassionate expression on Pamela’s face prompted her to continue, “My dad has a really rare neurologic disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and he’s actually in the end stages of it now…so that’s been really hard to deal with, but Simon has been so incredibly helpful and supportive. If it weren’t for him, I’d probably still be taking my anger out on anyone who crossed my path and pushing everyone anyway. All those things you were saying about me being kind, patient and understanding, your son has way more of those qualities than I could ever hope to have.”

“I’m so sorry to hear about your father,” Pamela sad with a sympathetic look, “And I’m so grateful that you and Simon have found each other during this time and can support and look after one another.”

Zoey nodded in agreement, a soft smile returning to her face as she looked over at Simon who was engaged in conversation with Joe and his friends. “Yeah, I’m really glad we have each other too.”

“Okay, Pamela I know this is your big day and all, but I wanna know when these two are getting married! You nearly made me cry when you were talking about him just now and with those looks you two have been giving each other - damn, almost makes me want to leave my husband to find someone better!” Lisa commented as she playfully shook her head in disbelief.

Zoey’s eyes widened at the comment, “Oh, no, Simon and I, it’s not like that, I mean…we’re not…”

Pamela put a hand on Zoey’s arm to stop her rambling, “Zoey and Simon are friends,” she explained to Lisa to clarify the point the flustered redhead was trying to make.

Just like when Pamela had introduced her and Simon as ‘friends’, Zoey picked up the emphasis the older woman added to the word, as if she was using the term they preferred, even if she didn’t quite believe it herself. She wondered what exactly Simon had told his mother and if he had admitted to having feelings for Zoey, or if the perceptive woman was simply arriving at her own conclusions about the state of their relationship.

Fortunately, the conversation shifted to lighter topics for the remainder of the breakfast and the group headed out not long after to get to the main event of the day. Simon and Zoey caught a ride with Donna and Lisa, the latter two talked nearly incessantly on the short trip over, catching Simon up about their lives in Michigan and their children while peppering in questions for him about life in the Bay Area. 

The car parked in front of a small, white chapel that fit perfectly with the idea Zoey had in her mind of what such a place would look like. The group headed inside and Zoey was eager to continue checking out the classic Vegas institution to see how it lived up to the hype from the movies. 

As they walked inside, Zoey glanced around at the interior of the chapel. It was somehow both what she expected, but also different. She supposed she’d expected something a little tackier, which was by no means to say the venue in which she was standing was classy. It was perhaps a little less garish than she’d anticipated and was almost romantic - though that could possibly be because the excitement of the soon-to-be-wed couple was rubbing off on her.

She wondered if any of the excitement was rubbing off on Simon as well and glanced over to see a smile on his face. Despite the happy expression, she could see something a little less joyful in his eyes. 

“Are you okay?” She whispered as the took their place in an empty row of seats. 

Simon glanced over at Zoey and held her gaze for a moment, almost as if he was wondering how she could tell something was off. He shook his head with a low chuckle, “I still don’t know how you can read me so easily,” he replied before meeting her gaze again. “I’m doing okay…it’s a little weird, but I’m happy for her - I mean, she seems happy anyway. I guess I’m just still worried that it’s too fast and I hope they’re not rushing into this before they’re ready.”

Zoey nodded, she could understand his concern. After everything he and his mom had been through already this year, she could certainly understand why he wanted to protect her from additional pain. 

The processional music started up and everyone turned their attention to watch Pamela walk down the aisle.  As Zoey watched Simon’s mom make her way towards Joe with a happy grin on her face, the instrumental music faded away to be replaced with something decidedly different. Before she could comment on the odd track change, Pamela began to sing and Zoey realized it was the start of a heart song.

A small smile appeared on Zoey’s face as she recognized the song Pamela was singing as Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain & Tennille, a song she only knew because it was a favorite of her parents.

Her smile turned into a grin as the guests, apart from her and Simon, began dancing to the song. When Joe took the second half of the song, the part of Zoey that shared Simon’s concern that this might be too soon faded away. She could tell from the emotions they were both conveying through this song that they both genuinely cared for each other.

By the time the song ended, the officiant pronounced the pair as husband and wife, eliciting cheers from their family and friends. 

“I don’t think you have to worry,” Zoey said as she leaned in to talk to Simon, “I think they’re going to stay together and keep each other happy for a very long time.”

Simon glanced over as if surprised by her unprompted comment before he returned her smile and gave a small nod as if to say he trusted her assessment.

As the newly married couple made their way back down the aisle, Zoey assumed that meant the wedding was over only to be surprised to see an Elvis impersonator standing outside to greet the wedding party.

“I guess it’s not a Vegas wedding without Elvis,” Zoey commented to Simon, who laughed at her comment.

“No it is not,” he agreed.

“A song for the newlyweds,” the fake Elvis said in his best impression of a southern accent.

“You’re getting your first dance!” Lisa called out in excitement as several other members of the group cheered along.

Pamela laughed as she glanced around, “If I’m dancing, you all better dance too,” she instructed, “I don’t want everyone standing around and watching us.”

Zoey watched as the members of their group began to couple upto join in. She glanced over at Simon, not sure if this violated some sort of ‘platonic wedding date’ code.

“Don’t give me that look, I know you claim you don’t like dancing, but I’ve seen your moves, you’re good,” Simon said as he held his hand out to her as the music started. “You’re not getting out of this one - my mom may seem sweet, but just try and break a direct request from her,” he teased.

Zoey laughed as she took Simon’s hand and let him bring her closer to dance along to the slow song. Truthfully, she had absolutely no complaints about dancing in this situation, which she knew had everything to do with who her dance partner was.

The Elvis impersonator began singing Can’t Help Falling in Love, which she knew had to be a popular request at the chapel known for specializing in quick weddings. She briefly wondered if the chapel ever collected data on the average amount of time couples knew each other before getting married, but quickly dismissed the thought. As much as she loved gathering and analyzing data, now was not the time to focus on that. Not when Simon’s hand was on her waist and the other was holding hers as he gracefully led their movements.

As Zoey lost herself in the moment, and in Simon’s eyes as he held her gaze, she couldn’t help but let the lyrics that Elvis was crooning really sink in. Although she had purposely avoided thinking about her feelings for Simon for a long time due to his relationship status, she wondered how deep the feelings really ran. Had she fallen for him without being consciously aware of it?

The look Simon was giving her was definitely a far cry from friendly and seemed to border on pure adoration. She wondered if her gaze was reflecting much of the same. When Simon let go of her hand to move both of his hands to her lower back, Zoey didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around his neck, letting him bring her in even closer as they danced together. 

Zoey could feel her heart pounding in her chest, making her very aware that this was quite possibly the most intimate and romantic moment she’d experienced in a long time. In that moment, she knew that any amount of discomfort or nervousness she’d experienced or would experience before the weekend was over would all be worth it just to have this moment with Simon.

When the song ended, Zoey didn’t move away immediately and neither did Simon. They continued to share a meaningful look until the applause of the rest of the group distracted their attention. Zoey quickly glanced over to see the others cheering on Pamela and Joe after their first dance as a married couple. She reluctantly stepped out of Simon’s embrace in order to join the others in congratulating the pair.

After the impromptu first dance, the group headed to a nearby lounge which had a definite “Old Vegas” feel to it. Zoey felt as if she stepped back in time to the 60’s between the decor and the music being performed by the band on stage.

“Wow, not what I pictured when you said reception,” she commented to Simon as they followed the others into the dimly lit venue. 

Simon laughed as he glanced around, “Honestly, not what I expected either,” he agreed, “But they seem happy anyway.”

Zoey followed his gaze to where Pamela and Joe were making their way to a corner of the lounge, with wide matching smiles on their faces. 

“Yeah, they do,” Zoey said with a nod as she watched the newlywed couple. She noticed that several other members of their party were heading towards the bar and she eagerly welcomed the chance to have a drink to help her get over the lingering nerves at spending so much time with Simon’s family. 

“What can I get you to drink?” She asked as she glanced over at Simon, who was still watching his mom with a happy expression on his face.

He met Zoey’s gaze before glancing over at the bar, “Oh no, please, let me get the drinks,” he insisted.

Zoey shook her head, “You haven’t let me get anything,” she replied as she nudged him in the direction of where some of the others were gathering to sit with Pamela and Joe, “I’m buying this round and I won’t take no for an answer. You go join the others and I’ll be right over.”

Simon smiled at her look of stubborn resolve, “Alright, well in that case, I’ll have an old fashioned. Thank you, Zoey,” he gave her an appreciative wink before heading over to join his mother and the others.

Zoey tried to ignore the way the wink caused a small shiver to go up her spine. Now was not the time to get flustered over every little thing Simon said and did around her. She had a feeling Pamela, Lisa, and Donna already suspected there was something more than friendship going on between them, but she didn’t want to make it too obvious out of respect for Simon, who had just broken up with his fiancée.

She tried to focus on the task at hand as she made her way over to the bar and placed her drink order. She took a seat on the mid-century modern stool as she waited for the bartender to make the cocktails.

“So this is quite the wedding, huh?” A voice asked from beside her and Zoey glanced to her right to see Joe’s daughter, Tamara, coming up to sit beside her. The smirk on Tamara’s face indicated that she was just as amused by their current location as Simon and Zoey had been.

“Yeah, I can honestly say I’ve never been to a wedding like this,” Zoey agreed. 

“I think that’s exactly what my dad wanted,” Tamara commented, “He’s always marched to the beat of his own drum and done things how he wants, like getting married a few months after meeting someone,” she added with a chuckle. “So nothing about today has shocked me so far.”

Zoey laughed at Tamara’s assessment of her father, “Well, at least he’s staying true to himself then. You only really have to worry if he starts doing something very predictable and boring, then it’s time to be concerned.”

“Exactly,” Tamara agreed with a laugh before she caught the bartender’s attention and placed her own drink order. “So, even though it’s been an unusual wedding to say the least, has it caused any wedding bell blues?”

“What?” Zoey asked, not quite following Tamara’s train of thought.

“I just remember before Anthony and I got married I would get so envious at every wedding we went to. I was very impatient for him to ask me to marry him, but especially when we went to someone else’s wedding,” Tamara explained with an amused shake of her head, “How long have you and Simon been together anyway?”

Zoey’s eyes widened as she caught on to what Tamara was saying, “Oh! No, we’re not together. We’re just friends. So, uh, definitely no wedding bell blues here. Just a lot of excitement and happiness and being a supportive friend, no wedding envy here.” Realizing she was rambling, Zoey cut herself off and glanced over to see what was taking the bartender so long.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you two were together,” Tamara apologized, “You two seem really close.”

“It’s uhm, kind of complicated,” Zoey admitted, not wanting to seem like she was friend-zoning Simon because truthfully there was something more going on between them. They just weren’t exploring that side of their relationship this weekend, or at all until Simon was ready. “But this weekend things are completely platonic and I’m just here as a friend to support Simon.”

The bartender placed her drinks in front of her and Zoey gratefully handed over her card, hoping she could end this conversation before she could embarrass herself any further.

“That’s really nice of you to be here for him this weekend,” Tamara commented, “You’re a good friend.”

Zoey nodded distractedly as the bartender returned with the check and she hastily signed before slipping her card back into her check.

“For what it’s worth,” Tamara continued, “You two make a really cute couple and you look great dancing together.”

“Uh, thanks,” Zoey replied with a flustered smile, not sure how else to respond to the comment. “I’ll see you back at the table,” she said as she picked up her drinks, grateful to be able to excuse herself and make her way to the others. She wasn’t sure why the conversation with Tamara left her so flustered, but she figured it had to do with realizing that others had been observing her and Simon and apparently thought they were a couple - and a cute one at that.

“Here you go,” Zoey said as she reached the table and handed Simon his drink. She tried to push the conversation with Tamara to the back of her mind before she could get lost in her thoughts. 

“Thanks, Zoey,” Simon said with a grateful smile as he shifted over on the booth to make room for her. 

Zoey took a seat, trying not to think about how close she was now sitting to Simon thanks to the number of people crowded into the big U-shaped booth. She took a long sip of her drink, hoping the alcohol would kick in soon. 

Fortunately, not long after she arrived back at the table, the newlyweds got up to dance to the band and a few others followed, allowing more room at the table.

Zoey finished her drink and the admittedly strong cocktail already had her feeling a bit more relaxed. Unfortunately, that meant the filter between her brain and mouth, which was always a bit wonky when she was nervous, was even less effective than usual.

“So apparently Tamara thought we were together,” Zoey leaned in to tell Simon. 

“Really?” Simon asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise, “How did you find that out?”

“She told me,” Zoey explained with a shrug as she went to take another sip of her drink only to remember she’d finished it, so all she got was a bit of melted ice water mixed faintly with the remnants of alcohol. “She asked me if being at the wedding was making me impatient to get married. I was really confused what she was talking about until she asked how long we’d been together.”

“Huh,” Simon said with a contemplative nod before he took a sip of his own drink.

Zoey wasn’t sure how to interpret his response, so she rushed to continue, “Don’t worry, I told her we’re not together and that we’re just friends.”

“Are we?” Simon asked, getting a confused look from Zoey, “I mean, I know we agreed to go on this trip as friends…but apart from this weekend, we’re more than that, right?”

Zoey was surprised by the question and didn’t know how to respond. She certainly hoped they were more than just friends, but they hadn’t explicitly defined what they were. “Yeah, I mean I thought that’s kind of what we talked about in my apartment the other night…”

Simon nodded, “Yeah, that’s what I thought too.” A slightly awkward silence fell over the two and Zoey had no idea how to follow up the semi-discussion of their relationship that had led to no further clarity.

“You want another drink?” Simon asked and Zoey nodded, relieved at the thought of having another drink to settle her sudden nerves. She knew the situation between her and Simon was complicated, but she would give anything to know where he stood in terms of wanting a relationship with her and when he wanted to take that step. 

Fortunately, by the time Simon returned with their drinks, the awkward moment had passed and they could comfortably enjoy each other’s company once more while they divided their attention between making conversion and watching the band and the couples dancing. She couldn’t help but think back to the dance they had shared and how comfortable and right it felt to be in Simon’s arms.

“Do you want to dance?” Simon asked, drawing Zoey’s attention as she glanced over. It was as if he had been able to read her thoughts, but she realized he must have also been reflecting on the same thing as they watched the couples dancing.

“Sure,” she agreed, standing up and making her way to the small space cleared for dancing. The music was more uptempo than the song she and Simon had previously danced to, but Zoey was almost grateful for that as it allowed them to be silly and dance together similar to how they had danced at the SPRQ Point watch launch party. If she had any more slow dances with Simon, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep things platonic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay in updating this, so I wanted to post an extra long chapter to make up for the wait. Hopefully you enjoy it! I have more written, it's just the process of going back to edit and fill in gaps that takes a lot of motivation, but comments and kudos help so thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed it so far!


End file.
